Lock mechanism for automobiles.



' S.H. FISH. LOCK MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Patented Dec. 18,1917.

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SAMUEL I-I. FISH, or GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

. LooKM o A IsM FOR A roMo ILns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented. Dec; 18

Application filed December 28,1916. Serial No. 139,014.-

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. FISH, citizen of the United States, residing at Glendale, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful" Improvement. in Lock Mechanism for Automobiles, Ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. i

I have embodied my improvements in a structure that is especially adapted for securing the steering wheel of an automobile in the positionto which-it has been turned by the user, and at the same time clamping the gas lever and the spark lever upon the sector arm, to hold the said levers out-of use, and against possible interference therewith by unauthorizedpersons.

The object of my invention is to furnish a clamping mechanism, in combination with a lock, so arranged, that whenonce in place, even a locksmith, without the special key, may not open the lock,nor may the lock be broken by any ordinary means.

Speaking in somewhat general terms, my invention comprises a con-shaped metal casing, which '1 east preferably in two parts, and a loose ring, or annulus, fitted to the base of the said casing; the base of the easingis provided with a socket, which is adapted to receive and secure the lugs of the clamping mechanism; the interior of the two castings which constitute the casing, are provided with openings, or spaces, to accommodate the bolts, levers, plates, springs, studs and other members, which go to make up the interior, or working parts, of the lock; The annulus" is provided with an inner collar, integral therewith, which bears against the base of the casing on the upper side of said collar, while a disk, provided below and riveted or otherwise secured to the said base, comes against the under, or lower surface of said co1larand thus the annulus is securely held, yet not prevented from being rotated- The'tapered form of the casing, effectually prevents grasping the same'by any ordinary monkey-wrench, While the loose ring fitted'to the base-as just described, would prevent the effective use of a pipewrench to twist or break away the lugs or other parts. The'loose ring is of sufficient width to form -a rim below the outer edge of the base of the lock casing, and upon the clampingmechanism is provided a seat-for said casing whichicomeswithin this'lower rim, orv edge, of thering when the lockis applied to the clamp and the lugs thus'in serted withinthe. socket provided inthe casting, or castings forming the loclccas ing, and thus the annulus is made to'cover andprotect the joint, or union, between the clamping mechanism and the cone shaped casing of the lock proper, thereby. preventing access by meansof a pinch-bar orsi milar..tool,.such access being made more diiiicult by a fiangewhich extends about the-seat and immediately below the lower and outer edge of the annulus Whenin place: 7

a The interior and working parts of "my lock, comprise lock bolts; bell-crank, or other suitable levers for operating the bolts; a plate, preferably placed between the keyoperated arms ofsaid-lever's; and studs,on or: more, locatedradiallywithin the pathof the bit or wingof the key,which several parts may serve as Wards and may be varied as to size, thickness, and relative positions among themselves to individualize different locks. It will be understood that springs are connected with the lever mechanism and the parts so arranged'that the lock bolts, placed opposite each other, are normally held-by such spring pressure, to project into the socket, and the lugs when inserted, serve tofirst' Wedgethe bolts apart-until the opening or eye of the lugs register with the bolts, whereupon the bolts actuated by the spring pressur'ewill enter the said opening from opposite sides and the shackle. will then be securely'held in place.

A .keyim'ust be: fitted toconform to each lock-as individualized, sothat on being inserted and turned-theboltswill be withdrawn and held back, so that the-lock may be lifted from the lugs, a'nd the clamping constituting such mechanism, being shown somewhat in detail. i i

Fig. 4 is a plan of the interior face of one of the castings of the lock case, the principal members of the locking mechanism being shown in place, the lugs, theannulus, and

the disk upon which the collarof the an nulus bears,'being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

' 'Fig. (3 is a general view, illustrating my invention applied to the steering ,wheel of an automobile.

, Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several figures. V V

The, lock casing is. made up of two castings, the rear part a being formed on the face thereof to receive the operative parts of the lock, which are shown mounted thereon. The companion casting b, of the same general contour, is shown as provided with the key-hole, and is constructed to fit over the operative parts of the lock, and when secured to its companion casting (1, forms therewith the cone-shaped protecting casing of my invention.

When the parts are assemblech'the disk plate 0 is secured to the base by rivets, or in other suitable manner in the position shown, the outer portion of the disk plate, coming under and against the inner collar formed upon the annulus cl serves as a seat and hearing therefor as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, and the annulus or ring cl is thus closely fitted about the base and serves to strengthen and protect the parts covered thereby, while at the same time the said ring is free to rotate, if a pipe wrench'or similar tool should be applied thereto.

The inclosing box 6 of the clamping mechanism is a casting, made to cover so far as may be, the parts to be guarded,this particular form being made to lit the parts of aparticular car,-the form and construction may be varied as circumstances may require.

The lug is made integral with the box 6, and corresponds in. form with its mate, lug g, provided on the free end of the hinged bar, or shackle h. The disk shaped seat i as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, is formed upon the box 0, and is provided with a flange 7c; and as indicated in Fig. l and Fig. 2 by dotted lines, this seat lits within the space below the disk plate 0, and the lower edge of the ring (Z surrounds and guards against access to the place between the seat and the disk or base of the cone shaped casing.

1t will be observed that the lugs and {j are cut away centrally, as shown in Fig. 3, and the ends of thebolts are made to correspond, so that when the socket of the lock is placed over the lugs, the ends of the bolts will be separated to admit the lugs, until when the opening in the lugs registers with the ends of the bolts, the bolts being under spring pressure, will enter from either side the opening in the lugs and thus the clamping box will be securely locked in place. These bolts 00 and. 3 are in ways provided therefor, and are connected with the lower ai'ins Z and m, respectively, of the bell-crank le'vers,these levers being spring actuated; and the tension of the springs holds the levers, and consequently the said lock bolts, normally in the position shown.

The plate a is placed preferably so as. to come between the upper arms, which are acted upon by the key, and the studs and 7) areplaced radially at a short distance from the key spindle, to be within the path or range of the bit of the key, the wing and bit of the key being shaped to fit the Wards of its lock. 7

The upper flange of the ring (Z upwardly upon the case above the. bore which forms the ways for the lock bolts, thus concealing and protecting the ends of said bolts." y j The levers, springs, plates, studs and bolts being once assembled and in place, and adjusted to individualize the particular lock, are permanently inclosed. The inclosing case may be of steel or other metal castings, and in the form of the frustum of a cone, and the loose, or rotatable ring .is'fitted about the base thereof as already described.

I. prefer to rivet or otherwisee-permanently secure thetwo parts a and bet the case together, and in like manner, rivet the disk 0 thereto, since it is entirely practical to depend on the key for opening the lock. 7

By varying theposition, size, thickness, and the relative positionsrof the several parts of the lock, an indefinite'number of combinations may be obtained. It will also be understood thatwthe form of the clamping box will be varied to various conditions.

In Fig. (3 I have shown the inclosing box e in position upon the steering wheel of an automobile to hold the wheel in position, while clamping thegas lever which is shown at the right, and the spark lever not shown, to hold said levers out of active use and protect the same and other parts against possible interference by unauthorized persons.

Having thus described my invention claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: p

1. The combination of the case in the form of the frustum of a cone, a ring fitted about the base of the case, said ring being rotatable, and locking mechanism, contained within, and protected by said case.

2. The lock mechanism comprising bellcrank levers, bolt devices operated by the lower arms of the levers, the upper arms thereof beingadapted to be operated by a key, in combination with spring devices adapted to hold thebolt devices in position extends for engagement, and a cone shaped case protecting the lock mechanism, a ring being 7 provided upon the said case about the'base thereof and capable of being rotated, to'aid in such guarding of the said lock mechanism.

3. The metal case cast in two parts and secured together and forming the cone shaped protection for the key operated lock mechanism contained in said case, in combination with a loose ringcupon the lower portion of the ease, a disk secured to the bottom thereof, an interior collar provided on said ring bearing upon the said disk, the ring extending below said disk to form a rim, and the disk shaped seat of a clamping device fitting within said rim.

l. The lock mechanism comprising spring actuated levers, lock bolt devices controlled by said levers, in combination with a case in the form of the frustum of a cone and provided with a socket into which the bolt -devices normally project, and clamping mechanism adapted to be engaged by said bolt devices, and a key for releasing the bolt devices byacting upon the saidkey operated arms. v

5. The case in the form of the frustum of a cone provided with a socket, and engagement means of a lock inclosed in said case, in combination with clamping mechanism having shacklelugs adapted to be inserted into the socket to engage said lugs, the clamping mechanism being provided with a disk shaped seat to fit within the rim which is provided about the base of the case.

v6. The combination with the cone shaped case, of clamping mechanism providedwith a seat fitting within a rim provided upon the base of the said case,a loose ring about the said base, thelower portion of said ring constituting. the said rim, and a flange formed about said seat together with key mechanism having lugs adapted to be engaged by the bolts when inserted within a socket provided in said case.

8. The combination with the casing of the lock, of locking bolts carried in a bore provided in said casing, and a loose ring mounted on said casing and extending upwardly to cover the ends of said bore and thereby protect and conceal the said locking bolts.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of December, A. D. 1916.

SAMUEL H. FISH.

Witnesses:

SARA E. PoLLARD, Bnnmcn C. FISH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of ratents, Washington, D. C." 

